There are many reasons why women lose hair. Often it follows childbirth and, occasionally, an illness. Stress is a common cause of hair loss, and dieting, or diet, sometimes causes the hair to become thin. This leaflet explains some of the most common causes of hair loss.

Post-Natal Hair Loss
Pregnancy can have a wonderful effect on a women's hair. From about the fourth month of pregnancy the hair is usually at its absolute best. It is shinier, more abundant, more
manageable and less greasy. Also, there is less dandruff and scalp problems.

This improvement in the hair is because of the increase in female sex hormones (mainly oestrogen) at this time. But after the baby is born, there is often a great loss of hair due to these hormones falling back to the normal level.

The hair, which is lost after childbirth, is the hair that would normally have fallen out
during the nine months of pregnancy but didn't and will now fall out from the second to the seventh month after the baby's birth.

Post-natal hair loss affects approximately 40% of all women with children and can be very frightening and upsetting experience, often because you don't know what exactly is causing the problem and when it will stop, and even, in some cases, if it will stop. The excessive hair loss usually lasts between 3 to 6 months and stops as suddenly as it started, and in time all the hair will be replaced.

Stress and Hair Loss
Stress related hair loss in women is an increasingly common problem. A growing number of women in stressful jobs suffer from thinning hair. Modern life and high stress levels associated with a fast moving lifestyle can have a truly dramatic effect upon hair. Considerable stress can also be placed on a mother by the often formidable demands of her family.

Many parts of the body can suffer the effects of stress, but it shows very quickly in the hair because the life cycle of the hair is
interrupted, causing it to fall out prematurely. In most cases, this type of hair loss is temporary and the hair which is lost will be replaced. The problem is, however, by the time one particular hair is replaced another two have fallen out, so the overall effect can be significant thinning of the hair.

Common Female Hair Loss
Although thinning of the hair is more common in men, it can affect women with genetic tendency towards this problem.
It is caused by the effects of androgens (male hormones which women also have, but at very low levels). These hormones restrict the growth of the hair which results in a characteristic thinning on the front and top of the scalp. The hairs become finer and do not grow as long as they should, and the scalp eventually becomes a little more visible.

This form of hair loss affects 10% of all women between the ages of 18-40, 25% by the age of 50, and a staggeringly high 60% by 70 years of age. In many women it is only a minor problem affecting only a small proportion of their hair, but in others it can become distressing and may lead to a loss of self-confidence.

Alopecia Areata (hair loss in patches)
Alopecia areata is another hair loss problem often associated with stress. The symptoms are a sudden increase in hair fall and the appearance of round or oval patches of baldness which are smooth to the touch. These patches may be singular or multiple in number with short broken hairs around the patches.

Although this problem can occur at any age, it is most common between ten and thirty-five years and affects women and men equally. This condition can be very
distressing, but it is important to remember that the empty hair follicles are always only ever dormant, and not dead. So they remain capable of producing hair when the person's health is improved or the right trigger is found.

Can Anything Be Done To Stop And Treat Women's Hair Loss and Thinning?

Many years of research and clinical testing have shown that certain plant extracts are very effective at reducing and minimizing hair loss and stimulating new hair growth. These extracts include hop, clover, rosemary, thyme, and menthol from peppermint oil. The Bio-Medic range was developed by a leading UK Trichologist with many years of hair and scalp experience, and include many of these stimulating plant extracts. The products have a highly stimulating effect on the hair and scalp, and a reduction in the quantity of hair coming out should be noticed in the first few weeks followed by an improvement in the growth of hair.

Much of the hair loss than women see can usually be combated by helping to slow the rate of fall and stimulate stronger thicker hair to grow. For more information on the best products to use for your type of hair loss please call, or e-mail for our informative leaflet.